This invention relates generally to devices for providing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation; and more specifically relates to devices having a physical barrier between the mouth of a rescuer and the mouth of the victim. Still more particularly, the invention relates to devices having a one way, self closing valve for transferring air under pressure from a rescuer to a victim, and blocking any reverse flow of fluid from the victim to the rescuer.
Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation Is a first aid technique and a preferred method for reviving a non-breathing victim when life or death may be determined from actions taken within a period of seconds, to rapidly deliver large volumes of exhaled air under pressure to inflate the lungs and reactivate the normal breathing process. The technique most commonly used in this regard is referred to as cardiac, pulmonary resuscitation ("C.P.R.").
Resuscitator devices to provide a physical barrier between the rescuer and victim requiring mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, are widely used today and accepted. Moreover, these resuscitator devices are frequently included in first aid kits, or stored at locations where emergency medical supplies are accessed, Often these resuscitator devices are carried on the person of parties trained in C.P.R. and would be called upon to provide C.P.R. or the like during emergency situations, such as ER doctors, paramedics, etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,628 (1989), Eisenberg et al, entitled "Mouth-to-Mouth Resuscitator Device," discloses a resuscitator device having a physical barrier between the mouth of the rescuer and the mouth of the victim. The device comprises a flexible sheet having a mouth opening formed in the sheet; and a protective tube bonded around the periphery of the mouth opening and extending downward therefrom.
A self closing one way valve is positioned in the tube and included a flexible sleeve having an open air inlet adjacent the mouth opening and an air outlet adjacent the output end of the tube; and a spring strip attached to the sleeve near the air outlet for securely closing the air outlet. The rescuer exhales air under pressure into the air inlet and the forced air entering the valve spreads the sleeve walls apart and overcomes the force of the spring strip for opening the valve and discharging the exhaled deep breath into the mouth of the victim. The tube containing the valve protects the valve and directs the forced air into the lungs of the victim.
There are many instances when it is more desirable that the protective tube of the resuscitator device have a smaller length than the length of such tube presently in use. If a victim were a child or a person having a more diminutive mouth structure, a smaller protective tube would be more suitable for use and less likely to injure or damage the inside mouth structure of the victim.
In order to utilize a protective tube having a smaller length, the one way valve for the resuscitator device would be required to operate within a more confined area. The subject invention provides a mouth-to-mouth resuscitator device utilizing a valve arrangement capable of effectively operating within a smaller protective tube configuration than the longer length rigid tubes prevalent in use at the present time.
Therefore, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a mouth-to-mouth resuscitator device including a self-closing one way valve effectively operable within a protective tube having a length substantially smaller than the length of the valve protective tube generally used for mouth-to-mouth resuscitator devices.
Another object is to provide a resuscitator device for transferring exhaled air under pressure from a rescuer to a victim and blocking back flow of fluids from the victim to the rescuer.
Another object is to provide a mouth-to-mouth resuscitator device having component parts that are easily assembled together.
Another object is to prevent Impurities from being transferred from the rescuer to the patient.